“I love winemaking as much as I do the business of wine,” says Niël Groenewald, managing director (MD) of Nederburg.
Previously head winemaker for Distell with the immense responsibility of overseeing the production of South Africa’s largest wine portfolio, and before that in a similar position at DGB-owned Bellingham, Niël was appointed to the position of Nederburg MD in early 2019. In this role, he focuses on critical aspects of wine production, as well as wine business and marketing, and is spearheading the evolution of the dynamic Nederburg brand.
Niël holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town and a BSc Hons degree in winemaking from the University of Stellenbosch. He has extensive experience in leading top-performing teams, optimal supply chain management and marketing, honed over years through international exposure to South Africa’s key trading partners. He strongly feels that winemaking alone doesn’t make a successful brand. “Marketing, focus and engagement with the market and industry are just as important.” And that is exactly what he’s doing.